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active labor Thinning and opening of the cervix, usually between 4–10 centimeters, with contractions typically 2–5 minutes apartafterbirth Placenta and membranes expelled by the uterus after the baby is deliveredalpha-fetoprotein test (AFP) Blood test given between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy to screen for abnormalities, including neural-tube defects and Down syndromeamniocentesis Extracting a sample of the amniotic fluid to test for fetal abnormalitiesamniotic fluid The fluid inside the amniotic sac (aka bag of water) that surrounds and protects the baby during pregnancyanterior presentation The most common position for babies during birth, with the face turned toward the mother’s spine

Bback labor Contractions primarily felt in the mother’s lower back; sometimes caused when the baby is facing the mother’s frontblastocyst The fertilized egg (zygote) once it enters the uterusBraxton-Hicks contractions False labor pains that occur throughout pregnancybreech birth When the baby’s buttocks, knees or feet appear first during delivery; usually results in a Cesarean section

Ccephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) When a baby’s head is too large to fit through the mother’s pelviscerclage A stitch placed in a weak cervix to help prevent premature deliverycervical incompetence Premature opening of the cervix (without contractions)cervical ripening Softening and thinning of the cervix in preparation for laborcervix The narrow lower end of the uterusCesarean section (C-section) Surgical removal of the baby and placenta through an incision made in the mother’s uteruschloasma (mask of pregnancy) Brownish patches that sometimes develop on the face during pregnancychorionic villus sampling (CVS) Removal of a small amount of tissue from the placenta to test for chromosomal or metabolic abnormalities; usually performed between weeks 10–12colostrum Fluid produced by the breasts in the latter months of pregnancy (and soon after birth); transfers proteins and immunities to the babycontractions (labor pains) Tightening of the uterus to expel the baby; contractions become stronger and more frequent as labor progressescord compression Squeezing of the umbilical cord that leads to slowing or interruption of blood flow to the fetus
crowning When the baby’s head has descended so far into the birth canal that it can be seen

Ddiastasis A vertical separation of the two halves of the abdominal muscles that can occur in late pregnancydilation Opening of the cervix during labor to allow the baby to pass through; 10 centimeters is considered fully dilatedDown syndrome A genetic disorder caused by extra chromosomes and characterized by mental retardation, medical problems and abnormal facial featuresdystocia Slow-progressing, difficult labor

Eeclampsia (toxemia) A life-threatening high-blood-pressure condition marked by seizures and coma; usually occurs after the 20th week and can only be “cured” by delivering the babyectopicpregnancy Implantation of the fertilized egg in a place other than the uterine wall, usually in a fallopian tubeeffacement Gradual thinning and shortening of the cervix during laborembryo The developing fertilized egg until the eighth week of pregnancyepidural A spinal injection that numbs the lower half of the body to decrease or eliminate pain during labor; the catheter that delivers the drugs is left in placeepisiotomy A surgical incision in the perineal area to widen the vaginal opening for delivery; the procedure is increasingly considered unnecessary or even harmfulexternal version The attempt to manually move a breech baby into the head-down position

Ffailure to progress A slow or stopped laborfetal distress (nonreassuring fetal status) When the baby does not move for a time or has a slower-than-normal heartbeat; may indicate he is not receiving enough oxygenfetal monitor Device used to listen to and record the heartbeat of the fetus; normal range is 110–160 beats per minutefetus The developing baby from the end of the eighth week of pregnancy until birthforceps delivery Placing spoon-like instruments around the baby’s head to facilitate deliveryforemilk The breast milk the baby gets during the first few minutes of nursing; it has a high volume and low fat concentrationfull term A baby born after the 36th weekfundus The top of the uterus; after 20 weeks, the height in centimeters is generally equal to the number of weeks a woman is pregnant

Ggestational age The fetus’s age measured from the first day of the mother’s last menstrual period; an average pregnancy lasts 280 days, or about 40 weeks, from that daygestational diabetes Diabetes that arises during pregnancy; usually subsides after delivery

Hhindmilk The milk a baby gets after the first few minutes of nursing; it’s lower in volume, but higher in calories and fathuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) A hormone produced by the embryo and thought to be related to nausea in early pregnancyhyperemesis gravidarum Very severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy

Iinduction Using artificial means to start labor, such as puncturing the membranes or giving oxytocin (Pitocin)

Kkick count A record kept during late pregnancy of the number of times a fetus moves over a certain period of time

Llabor stages 1: from the onset of labor until the cervix is completely thinned and dilated; 2: the pushing stage, during which the baby emerges from the vagina; 3: expulsion of the placenta and membraneslaboring down Allowing a mother who’s had an epidural to hold back from pushing until she has the urge or until certain signs of readiness to deliver appearlactation Milk production by the breastslarge for gestational age A newborn weighing approximately 9 3/4 pounds or morelatching on When a baby takes the nipple and areola properly into his mouth to nurseletdown reflex The breasts’ release of milk for the nursing babylightening Dropping of the fetus deeper into the pelvis in the weeks prior to birthlinea nigra A dark line that can appear from the navel to the pubic bone during pregnancylochia Vaginal discharge after deliverylow birthweight A baby weighing less than 5 1/2 pounds at birth

Mmembranes The amnion and chorion, which make up the amniotic sacmiscarriage The spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the fetus can survive outside the uterus; most common in the first trimestermorning sickness Nausea and vomiting, usually occurring during the first 13 weeks of pregnancymucus plug A jellylike plug that seals off the cervix and is expelled before delivery

Nneonate The newborn until 4 weeks of ageneural-tube defect A birth defect, such as spina bifida, that results from improper development of the brain, spinal cord or their coveringsnonreassuring fetal status (fetal distress) Concern that the baby is not receiving sufficient oxygen from the placenta

Oobstructed labor Slowing or cessation of laboroxytocin (Pitocin) A drug used to help start or intensify labor contractions

Ppelvic-floor muscles Muscles that help support the vagina, uterus, bladder, urethra and rectum; can be strengthened by Kegel exercisesperineum The area between the vagina and anus; an incision here to facilitate delivery is called an episiotomypica The urge to eat nonfood itemsplacenta Tissue that connects the mother to her fetus and provides nourishment to and takes away waste from the babyplacental abruption Premature separation of the placenta from the uterus prior to delivery, often causing bleeding or severe, premature contractions; requires an emergency C-sectionplacenta previa A condition in which the placenta lies very low in the uterus so that the opening of the uterus is partially or completely covered; may require a C-sectionposterior presentation When the back of the baby’s head presses on the mother’s back; causes “back labor” and may make pushing difficultpost-term pregnancy A pregnancy that lasts beyond 42 weeks from the first day of the mother’s last menstrual periodpreeclampsia A complication involving high blood pressure, swelling and abnormal kidney function; occurs after the 20th week and, left untreated, can lead to seizures and even deathpremature baby A baby born before 37 weekspreterm labor Labor that starts after 20 weeks but before the end of the 37th weekprolapsed cord Slipping of part of the umbilical cord into the birth canal during delivery; can result in oxygen deprivation to the baby

Qquickening When the mother first feels the fetus move, usually between weeks 18–22

Rrooting reflex When touching a baby’s lips or stroking his cheek causes the baby to open his mouth and turn his head toward the stimulusround-ligament pain Pain caused by stretching of the ligaments surrounding the uterusrupture of membranes (breaking of waters) Breaking of the membranes that make up the amniotic sac during or before labor

Sshow Vaginal discharge, often mucus and blood, that occurs as labor approachesspinal anesthesia Numbing of the lower half of the body; unlike an epidural, the catheter is not left in placestation The relationship of the baby’s head during labor to bony knobs in the pelvis; positive numbers indicate delivery is closer

Ttransition stage The period during labor when the cervix dilates from 8–10 centimeterstransverse lie When the baby lies crosswise in the uterustrial of labor Choosing to attempt a vaginal birth after having had a prior C-section
trimesters 1: up to 14 weeks; 2: 14–27 weeks; 3: 28 weeks–delivery

Uultrasound (sonogram) A device that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce a picture of the fetus in utero
umbilical cord The structure that connects the baby’s bloodstream to the mother’s

Vvacuum extraction The use of suction to help guide the baby’s head out of the birth canalVBAC Vaginal birth after C-section